Custom Bats Cricket Forum
Equipment => Bats => Topic started by: manno on January 02, 2013, 04:29:32 AM
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Hi guys, great forum! Here's a thread to share the story of my 09 custom Legend.
I guess it starts in 09 when after being in love with cricket for most of my life I was finally convinced to join my cousins Peninsula league team. I had played briefly in my early teens but having second hand buckle up pads and a dynadrive when all I wanted was an Easton bat and GN kit I lost interest and gave it away. Anyway, so I'm now 30 odd years old and needing some kit.... So naturally, having an OC personality I google google google and ring and hassle most of the cricket stores in Aus till im happy I've got it figured all out.... A trip to GCCC quickly confirmed what id hoped, with the Legend feeling a mile better than any other stick that I was to pick up. So I bought one, and ordered a second. Then began piecing together the rest of my kit.
The bats were immediately stripped and taken back to GN to be waxed and buffed. The stickers were ok but I had something more traditional in mind so they reluctantly provided me a couple of sets of random GN bat stickers that I customised to get the look that I was after. The result while not everyone's cup of tea turned out exactly as I had hoped. Modesty aside..... I am convinced that returning the custom after a few games to have some rain spots buffed out and GN seeing what I had done to the stickers inspired the UK vintage look legend stickers.......
A bit about the two bats, BIG middles, they tap up crazy good. NO concaving which i much prefer and pickup/balance just beautifully!!
The custom Legend as it arrived.
(http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4051/4217554018_0f6d14a6a8_z.jpg?zz=1)
The two Legends after my fiddling around with stickers.
(http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4017/4213158070_6d88247b97_z.jpg?zz=1)
(http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4066/4213158618_4088d617aa_z.jpg?zz=1)
(http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4023/4225627026_a6857f02b7_z.jpg?zz=1)
Here you can see the slight difference in profiles between the custom and off the shelf Legends.
(http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2569/4213159188_119eb1b017_z.jpg?zz=1)
The toe after applying urethane (best toe guard of all that I've seen/used).
(http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2506/4232147647_5c4702b48c_z.jpg?zz=1)
As I said, some like, some don't. Personally I think its much easier on the eyes than the all singing and dancing stickers that smother most of the bats these days... And finally, here is the kit that I ended up settling on. Don't worry I know what your all thinking, "all the gear, no idea?". Completely understandable but not entirely true.
(http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2692/4221163210_f4b8c47c30_z.jpg?zz=1)
I was set!!! So I ended up playing nearly two seasons in the "coughfifthscough" and picked up the batting award and all round award for the two seasons. The bat was passed around like a conch amongst the jnrs and was eyed off by most of the snrs. Anyway, I lost interest partially due to a fun sapping captain/president as well as an instant family that demanded my Saturdays. So the bat was sold to a firsts batter at the club. Ever since I've missed the bat! Soooooo.... last week I annoyed the poor bloke into selling the bat back to me! I'm happy now knowing the bat will die at my hands!! Like adopting out a child there was/is a feeling of guilt attached to the old girl and to make it up to her she's being given a bit of a refurb and perhaps a little upgrade.....
Here she is as it was returned to me.
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8363/8335729873_cb0a170c0e_z.jpg)
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8362/8336787634_9cca90a056_z.jpg)
And after a little TLC and ready for a wax/buff.
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8356/8335748219_46541715d0_z.jpg)
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8082/8336807544_93afc547b9_z.jpg)
Im surprised just how little its worn and how strong it still plays!! I'll update the thread when she's back ready to play. Thanks for listening and any info or opinion is welcome!
Cheers
Manno
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Absolutely lovely Manno! I wish I loved a bat enough to buy it back. There are probably only 2 bats I have sold on which I would consider doing so haha! It does look in top nick for a bat that has been used over 3 seasons. I have always been scared of using bats that grainy, I think because I was told almost as soon as I started cricket that tight grained bats never last long, although your GN suggests otherwise!
I'm not sure when Legends came out in the UK, but I'm sure if it was like 2011, then you may well have had something to do with it! I like my bats with no concaving as well, though I might get a really heavily concaved bat (Kookaburra Genesis) copied, as that was the first profile I fell in love with. 8) I much prefer the Aus Legend shape to our UK shape, maybe they should just make them the same profiles with different stickers! :D
You say the toe is polyurethane glue? I have some in my house that I haven't opened yet, I bought it as a possible crack repairing glue along with some PVA, but saw that it is toxic, and couldn't trust myself to use it! Maybe I will experiment with it as a toeguard though!
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Great write-up Manno. And those Legends look awesome. Can you clarify on the urethane toe? Is it polyurethane or thicker like Shoe Goo?
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Lovely bats mate and awesome awesome profiles. Really like that shape a lot. I'm a traditional shape bat man myself :)
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I bought a GN Matrix way back in the early 2000's an did the exact same thing to the stickers, just trying to see if I have a pick of it anywhere of how it looked.
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Thanks Chad - Will be a sad day when this bat finally packs it in. To be fair though over the three years its probably only really done a seasons work. I didn't make it to training at all and the guy that I sold it to alternated between this and another. I heard a lot about more grains and less life too but i don't know Chad. I do know that I spent hours and hours gently knocking it in.. maybe that's helped prolong its life?
Hey smokem - sorry mate the product I used was like an industrial branded product similar to shoe goo. Once on I had to sit holding the bat rotating it like a spit until the stuff was set but when it dried it was like a hard clear rubber. Very very durable, didn't wear though and wouldn't peel off the toe no matter how hard I tried! Not a fan of the rubber toes that you glue on and I absolutely recommend the shoe goo or urethane option!
Yep, cant fault the shape Jenko. Seemed pretty spot on for the concrete pitches we played on! Dig up the photo, would be good to see what others have done to customise the design of the graphics.
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superb looking bat
love the minimalistic stickers :)
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Thanks bb. I like it simple and I think they look good, though they aren't quite as swish as those black/chrome stickers of yours.
Which I must admit are probably the best that I've seen.
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very kind of you sir :)
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Love the profile on these bats!
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Best grains mate! Which one do you prefer using?
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Best grains mate! Which one do you prefer using?
Sadly I only ever used the custom and sold the other one "new" on fleabay not that long ago.
The mallet flew off it like a bullet though. I regret selling that one too now that I think about it...... THANKS!! ha ;)
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Very nice bats and softs there manno :o
Those slaz gloves look right up my street
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I remember these bats from CSF.
Very nice.
Those Slaz gloves are great - were perhaps used by MC in the 2009 Ashes?
(http://nimg.sulekha.com/sports/original700/michael-clarke-2009-7-19-13-42-18.jpg)
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Shame you sold it mate, would of had a few interested people anyway!
Here are two pics of the old Matrix. Can't remember when they came out but it was years ago, here is what I did to the stickers...
(http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac110/Phantom_VE/2373A5CF-313D-442C-9EE6-43D6549ED80C-3633-00000443C9B102A0.jpg)
(http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac110/Phantom_VE/B1F0E97C-86CF-4F1A-A104-D0B63E5253B2-3633-00000443E9CF8F5A.jpg)
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Very nice bats and softs there manno :o
Those slaz gloves look right up my street
They were right up MY street to mate... but were lent out and returned pretty worn out.......
Alvaro - What's this 09 ashes you speak of? :-[
When they were new...... :(
(http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4002/4233087025_a0cc0a91ca_z.jpg?zz=1)
(http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2617/4233087587_ea0cf63554_z.jpg?zz=1)
(http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2796/4233086523_10e85366cb_z.jpg?zz=1)
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JENKO!!!! You've clearly got impeccable taste :)
That's uncanny!!!
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Yeah hahaha!!! I think I did that way back in maybe even 2003!
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I remember these from cricket supplies forum... i think?
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I remember these from cricket supplies forum... i think?
That's right! I joined that forum back then but its a bit of a ghost town hey. Not to mention the hard time I got (from some) just from posting my humble story.....
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Wow the bats look lovely, and fanstastic refurb job! did you refurb it yourself? love threads like this :)
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Wow the bats look lovely, and fanstastic refurb job! did you refurb it yourself? love threads like this :)
Thanks mate, it really is a decent bat and probably worth looking after a bit more than it has been. A basic refurb like this is pretty straight forward. Its my first but it makes it easier being a Wood Machinist by trade (furniture manufacturer). So i know about grain direction and grades of paper suitable for different types of timber. One thing I'm a little stuck on is deciding if ill use super glue or PVA wood glue to repair a couple of small cracks in the face and one on the edge????
My background and head says use PVA but most of the info that I've read suggest super glue. Anyway, ill get that done soon and then take it back to GN to be waxed and buffed.
And then..........
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Well you are putting your skills to good use then :)
Most ppl here would say PVA glue, some even water it down a bit to get it in the cracks but you probably already know that :)....I refurbed my rpc just a few days ago although not half as good a job as yours..
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For sure! Could see myself putting them to the ultimate use one day! But that's a bit of a dream for now.
Its just a good feeling to do some work yourself, makes the bat have a greater personal value in the end. The only thing I'm a bit down on is that cleaning the edges means that I've lost a WHOLE MM of width!!!! Ha. Nevermind....
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Btw mate, where'd you get your Ultralites from?
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Btw mate, where'd you get your Ultralites from?
Couldn't tell ya sorry mate. Its been too long, some online store thats all i remember. Im going to sell the pads. Your not from Aus are ya?
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One of the best story's I have read return to the owner
Tell you there a book waiting to be written
A bats tale.....
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One of the best story's I have read return to the owner
Tell you there a book waiting to be written
A bats tale.....
Glad to share it mate. Ill be sure to update as the new chapters unfold. Really hoping it has a happy ending!!
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I did have the straps on these pads altered. They're just too bloody long. Straps were cut, velcro and labels were unpicked and shifted. Perfect now with no overhang.
(http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4057/4233096315_4c28ea62c3_z.jpg?zz=1)
(http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4033/4233859526_d0838cb25d_z.jpg?zz=1)
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Couldn't tell ya sorry mate. Its been too long, some online store thats all i remember. Im going to sell the pads. Your not from Aus are ya?
Yeah mate, Melbourne! Do you rate them?
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I remember these bats from CSF.
Very nice.
Those Slaz gloves are great - were perhaps used by MC in the 2009 Ashes?
([url]http://nimg.sulekha.com/sports/original700/michael-clarke-2009-7-19-13-42-18.jpg[/url])
Ah, lovely lovely decals!
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Yeah mate, Melbourne! Do you rate them?
I sure do mate. In terms of protection i rate them and so do some pretty famous test playing batsmen! They weigh next to nothing and feel amazing to play and run in. The inner padded shin/knee protection part can be taken out too, so you can wash them. Overall the pads just feel a lot less "dissposable" like most traditional pads do. Ive however grown a bit tired of the look. While not being completely alien to traditional cricket (sorry aero) to me they still do look a bit different. Performance wise though i couldn't fault them.
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Ok. So. Thought id finally wrap this up before another year comes to an end! The bat was stripped. A few little surface cracks glued using pva and then shipped to the guys at Laver for a re handle and a lamitoe. Because of its great sentimental value i decided to knock up a box to transport the thing in to make sure it wasnt damaged in transit....
(http://a64.tinypic.com/21omp0l.jpg)
(http://a63.tinypic.com/30ijs76.jpg)
(http://a64.tinypic.com/166zl9k.jpg)
(http://a66.tinypic.com/jkwydy.jpg)
(http://a65.tinypic.com/24dmogh.jpg)
(http://a64.tinypic.com/jpasee.jpg)
(http://a67.tinypic.com/k0t45.jpg)
(http://a63.tinypic.com/xct37c.jpg)
(http://a67.tinypic.com/mm4bia.jpg)
(http://a64.tinypic.com/25s0jfn.jpg)
(http://a66.tinypic.com/2evb29v.jpg)
(http://a67.tinypic.com/xpycxx.jpg)
(http://a67.tinypic.com/34fcuh2.jpg)
(http://a68.tinypic.com/2v0d4ir.jpg)
(http://a67.tinypic.com/1oku1d.jpg)
Safe and sound ready for its trip across the ditch!!!
Heres a few photos sent from the boys at Laver.
(http://a63.tinypic.com/28jd3rq.jpg)
(http://a63.tinypic.com/28jd3rq.jpg)
(http://a64.tinypic.com/34fmbk0.jpg)
The bat arrived home safe and sound after its brief holiday in NZ with a white grip and i quickly put on the old Gray Nicolls stickers i had put aside specifically for this refurb. Obviously the grip colour needed to be changed and it was...
(http://a63.tinypic.com/2cxvzvp.jpg)
(http://a64.tinypic.com/2e3o0ok.jpg)
(http://a67.tinypic.com/1zv8gnr.jpg)
(http://a68.tinypic.com/2l942v6.jpg)
(http://a67.tinypic.com/117h0sy.jpg)
And now.... The old girl as she is today. Still going strong!!
(http://a65.tinypic.com/67t9qv.jpg)
(http://a67.tinypic.com/1072jir.jpg)
(http://a64.tinypic.com/zxnrs3.jpg)
(http://a63.tinypic.com/2ntjqsk.jpg)
(http://a65.tinypic.com/33daycx.jpg)
(http://a63.tinypic.com/kbb1ww.jpg)
The life of a GN Legend :)
2009
(http://a66.tinypic.com/s49y7m.jpg)
2017
(http://a63.tinypic.com/2eamc7m.jpg)
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Really is great to see such care and attention go into looking after a bat and how well she keeps looking year after year with that care and attention!
Get that bat transport box on eBay too! Reckon there'd be a few takers for that!!
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Don't know about the bat but love the box!
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Really is great to see such care and attention go into looking after a bat and how well she keeps looking year after year with that care and attention!
Get that bat transport box on eBay too! Reckon there'd be a few takers for that!!
Cheers Calzehbhoy. I only bother as the bat is seriously that good! :D
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Great thread... Thank you
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Great thread... Thank you
Better late than never i guess.
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Great thread this thanks for sharing
Bat case is a lovely piece of work
So is the bat :)
Food for thought for those of us changing bats every season!
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Great thread and what a brilliant box!
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Damn fine workmanship in that box
Bat looks very nice too, it's just a shame they are so expensive new, but I suppose that reflects the willow quality and rarity
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An excellent thread and beautiful images
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Superb!!
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What an extraordinarily good set of bats you have there. Great passion for the game too!
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What a fab read first thing in the morning! Great to see the construction process of the box and how much TLC went into making it. With skills like that you should be making the bats themselves too!
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One of the best threads iv read in a while and what a cracking bat, your skills are also
Admirable in knocking up that box,
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The box close to overtaking the bat as most impressive.
With bat prices going thru the roof could be a gap in the market for you?
I wish I paid more attention in woodwork classes :)
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Great thread also nice to read and see the care and attention you have given to this bat over the years.
I reckon you could make and sell those bat boxes.
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love the box..
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Great thread and gorgeous bats.
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Thanks for all the positive comments lads. Looks like theres a lot of love out there for the box! :) It did come up neat enough, though nothing special. Basically just butt joined and screwed. I had actually given some thought in the past to shaping a few bats as Ive got a huge passion for working with timber but to be honest i wouldn't know what to look/ask for in terms of part-mades so id have to get some proper advice on that front. Maybe one day....... For now though, ill continue to enjoy the work of other aussie bat makers ;)
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Beautiful bat, astounded that its lasted so well for this long, but you pay for the quality i guess...
Love the black Gray Nicolls stickers as well, would definitely have them on my GN if they were widely available
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Fantastic box, your photos might just inspire me to try and make something similar for the back of my car. I need one that holds 2, maybe 3, bats. Doubt I'll make such a nice job of it though!
I take it Laver returned the box wit your bat, rather than keeping it for themselves! :)
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Wow! You have taken bat love to a whole another level! Kudos mate 😀
May be use the same box as a coffin to bury her when she is completely done one day!